Prep football -- Kenan roars to third-straight win

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 5, 2004 2:00 AM

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ROCKY POINT -- James Kenan might not be clicking on all cylinders offensively, but its defense is purring like a finely-tuned engine three weeks into the high school football season.

The aggressive and hard-hitting Tigers limited Heide Trask to seven yards total offense and recorded their second straight shutout -- 42-0 -- Friday evening in southern Pender County. It marked the first time since 1998 that James Kenan had shut out an opponent in consecutive games.

Trask dipped to 2-1.

"These kids work hard every single day and they've bought into what we've been selling for a year and a half," second-year Tigers coach Kevin Motsinger said. "We just came here to play football and do our job."

Indeed.

James Kenan (3-0) yielded just two first downs and recorded 14 tackles for loss on 41 Titan offensive plays. Kendal Jones, Jerrell Smith, Montral Outlaw and Brian Merriman each recovered a fumble, and each miscue led to a touchdown.

Trask finished the second half with minus-6 yards total offense.

"These kids carried out the game plan and executed it," Motsinger said. "We didn't have to do a lot of adjustments. I've done this long enough to where I've got the pieces in based on what our kids can do, and from that we move the pieces around.

"Half the time, they don't even know we're giving them a different defense. It's just what we call."

The Titans converted one third down in 10 tries and failed to convert a pair of fourth-down chances. James Kenan forced four punts and on its final four offensive possessions started short scoring drives at Trask's 48-, 22-, 17- and 27-yard lines.

Offensively, the Tigers converted 60 percent (6-of-10) of their third-down conversions, but fell victim to three fumbles and one interception. They collected 318 yards total offense on 64 plays, and took control early in their no-huddle, flex-bone offense.

After stopping Trask on the game's first possession, the Tigers started a seven-play scoring drive. Motsinger put his big boys, including the 286-pound Boykin, in the backfield. Trask had a difficult time adjusting defensively since Kenan snapped the ball down as soon as the head official back-peddled into the backfield.

With Boykin the lead blocker on the first couple of plays, Kenan easily pushed the Titan defensive line backwards toward the end zone. Junior Shermaine Matthews capped the 64-yard march with a three-yard plunge on second down.

Boykin scored the Tigers' next touchdown, a one-yard run, in the second quarter.

Kenan used its passing game to set up its third touchdown. Senior quarterback Kelvin Miller completed three of six passes on a 48-yard drive early in the fourth quarter. Boykin finished it off by plowing through the Titan defense on third-and-goal from the 4-yard line.

The Tigers, who have won just three of their last eight road games, exploded for 30 points in the final quarter. Trask committed three turnovers and punter Rodney Blackman kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety after a botched snap.

James Kenan has outscored its opponent 100-14 in 12 quarters of action.

"These kids are focused with twenty seniors leading the football team," Motsinger said. "We've got a bunch of underclassmen who are leaders as well, and that makes my job easy.

"The kids have come out and we've played well."

James Kenan 6 6 0 30 -- 42

Heide Trask 0 0 0 0 -- 0

First quarter

JK -- Matthews 4 run (run failed), 6:20

Second quarter

JK -- Boykin 1 run (run failed), 7:25

Fourth quarter

JK -- Boykin 4 run (Boykin run), 10:57

JK -- Satchell 15 run (Satchell run), 8:11

JK -- Glaspie 1 run (kick failed), 6:08

JK -- Safety, punter kicked ball out of end zone, 3:27

JK -- Satchell 6 run (kick failed), 1:19

JK Trask

First downs 16 2

Rushes-yds 43-188 35-13

Passing yds 130 -6

Total yards 318 7

Att.-Comp.-Int. 21-11-1 6-2-0

Fumbles-lost 3-3 7-5

Punts-avg 1-22.0 4-26.0

Penalties-yds 3-35 5-22

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- James Kenan -- Jimmy Glaspie 16-85, TD; Kelvin Miller 10-28; Rikki Rogers 2-34; Alex Flores 4-29; Brandon Satchell 6-27, 2 TDs; Leron Boykin 2-5, 2 TDs; Shermaine Matthews 1-4, TD; Jerrell Smith 1-3; Eric Benson 1-(-7). Heide Trask -- Eddie Boney 1-4; Terrell Lamb 10-4; Ryan McPherson 15-31; Justin Bland 7-(-7); Kevin Pickett 1-3; Rodney Blackman 1-(-22).

PASSING -- James Kenan -- Kelvin Miller 11-19-1 130; Jason Kennion 0-2-0 0. Heide Trask -- Bland 2-6-0 (-6).

RECEIVING -- James Kenan -- Jason Kennion 6-60; Jimmy Glaspie 3-37; Matt Bass 1-19; Mike Jarman 1-14. Heide Trask -- Lamb 1-1; McPherson 1-(-7).